


The one with the TV show...

by SwanQueenFan1972



Series: The Country Music Series [4]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2018-07-12
Packaged: 2019-06-09 03:27:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15258408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwanQueenFan1972/pseuds/SwanQueenFan1972
Summary: SwanQueen becomes a TV Series...





	The one with the TV show...

**Author's Note:**

> This is the song that prompted me to start the country music series. If you haven't listened to this song you should. I swear it could've been written for them. I originally wanted this to be longer, but I feel like it works better as it is.

Legends - Kelsea Ballerini

 

We were golden, we were fire, we were magic  
Yeah, and they all knew our names all over town  
We had it made in the middle of the madness  
We were neon in a grey crowd  
Yeah, we wrote our own story  
Full of blood sweat and heartbeats  
We didn’t do it for the fame or the glory  
And but we went down in history  
Yeah, we were legends  
Loving you, baby, it was heaven  
What everyone wondered, we’d never question  
Close our eyes and took on the world together  
Do you remember?  
We were crazy  
Tragic and epic and so amazing  
I’ll always wear the crown that you gave me  
We will always stay lost in forever  
And they’ll remember  
We were legends  
Like we were written down in permanent marker  
Not even the brightest sun could ever fade  
Come whichever hell or high water  
It was always me and you either way  
Hey, we wrote our own story  
Full of blood sweat and heartbeats  
We didn’t do it for the fame or the glory  
We just did it for you and me  
And that’s why we were legends  
Loving you, baby, it was heaven  
What everyone wondered, we’d never question  
Close our eyes and took on the world together  
Do you remember?  
We were crazy  
Tragic and epic and so amazing  
I’ll always wear the crown that you gave me  
We will always stay lost in forever  
And they’ll remember  
We were legends  
We were legends  
Loving you, baby, it was heaven  
What everyone wondered, we’d never question  
Close our eyes and took on the world together  
Do you remember, baby?  
We were crazy  
Tragic and epic and so amazing  
I'll always wear the crown that you gave me  
We will always stay lost in forever  
And they’ll remember  
We were legends  
We were, yeah, we were legends  
Yeah, we wrote our own story  
Songwriters: Kelsea Ballerini / Forest Glen Whitehead / Hillary Lee Lindsey

Regina settled back against the bench and straightened her legs out in front of her, crossing them at the ankles. The day was beautiful, hardly a cloud in the sky. A soft warm breeze caressed her cheeks as she tilted her head back, eyes closed, enjoying the sun. Nearby, birds chirped and the scent of lilacs wafted in the air, a sure sign that spring had finally arrived. 

“Mom!” The serenity was broken as Henry’s voice came from behind her. He came loping up, flopping beside her on the bench, out of breath from running at full speed. His hair was mussed and his cheeks were red, and his voice squeaked a little as he said, “Guess what?”

Regina opened her eyes, straightening up and allowing her gaze to land on her son. It still amazed her how grown up he looked at fourteen. She no longer had a little boy, but rather a young man. Still, there was some little boy left, evident in the way he wiggled in excitement, his eyes glittering. “I couldn’t begin to guess, Henry. What has you so excited?”

“It’s out! The trailer is finally out for the show! They sent me a link to the advanced extended version!” He unzipped the backpack resting it on his lap and pulling out his IPad. “I already saw it... you gotta watch too!”

He punched in his password and fiddled with the device for a moment before finding what he was looking for and beaming with pride. He jostled closer to Regina, turning the screen so they could both see and turned up the volume before clicking ‘play’.

There was music playing in the background, a country song that was vaguely familiar to Regina, yet she couldn’t quite place it. A deep sensual, female voice vocalized the words crossing the screen. 

_“One was gold,” a headshot of a beautiful blonde popped up. “One was fire,” accompanied by a shot of an equally gorgeous brunette. “Together, they were magic!” Now both women, faced the camera, arms outstretched, with what appeared to be lightening shooting from their fingertips, their hair wild, faces serious as they faced some unknown horror. ___

____

Henry tapped the screen, freezing it on the two women. “Magic doesn’t really look like that,” Regina said critically. It was always something that irked her about movies and television. The media was determined to make everything look like a damned light show at Disney world. 

“I know, but it looks pretty cool anyway,” Henry agreed. “And they’re pretty cool too.”

“Who are they?” Regina peered at the small screen. 

Henry pinched the screen, zooming in on the blonde, who’s name was blazoned across the screen. Jennifer Morrison. “She was on that doctor show Ma used to binge watch, remember?”

“How can I forget?” Regina rolled her eyes. “She watched that bloody show so often she started diagnosing everybody in town with outrageous and rare disorders.” She chuckled at the memory, and Henry grinned. Emma had driven everybody nuts for months, allowing the slightest symptom anyone mentioned to escalate in her head into a deadly disease. 

“She’s beautiful, huh?” Henry asked, gazing at the picture.

“Not nearly as beautiful as Emma, but yes, she’s quite attractive.” It was true. The long flowing blonde hair was pretty close to Emma’s, but the intense eyes that stared out of the screen were not nearly as brilliant a green as Emma’s. “Who plays me?” Regina took a deep breath and watched Henry adjust the screen again. 

The brunette was striking, her eyes dark and intense. “Lana Parrilla.” Regina read out loud, rhyming the name with banana and vanilla.

“No, you’re saying it wrong. She gets real annoyed when people mess her name up. Lawna Pariya...” he sounded it out, rolling the ‘r’s of the last name perfectly. Regina was glad to hear that the Spanish tutor had been worth the money. “She was on a doctor show too, but I don’t think we ever watched that one.” He sighed. “It’s so weird when someone that hot is supposed to be your mom.” 

“Henry!” Regina exclaimed, trying not to laugh at her outrageous son. He was right, though. Lana was gorgeous. Just because Regina only had eyes for Emma didn’t mean she couldn’t appreciate another womans beauty. Her perfectly coiffed hair, her wickedly evil smile, her outfit, the small scar on her upper lip… the actress was top shelf in every department.

“Don’t worry Mom, you’re prettier than she is.” Henry was quick to assure her, taking her silence as insecurity, which was totally not the case. Regina was very comfortable in her own skin.

“Well, I’m pretty sure that isn’t true, but thank you.” Regina smiled at the boy, who pulled back the zoom on the screen, returning it to the image of the two women side by side. The shot was striking. The blonde was dressed in a white flowing costume, the lightning bolts emerging from her fingers a pale blue. Regina’s character was dressed in black, red hot bolts flashing from her fingers. The contrast of light and dark, good and evil, was evident. Despite the fact that the magic was unrealistic, it was very effective and eye catching. Henry started the video again, the voice stating, 

_“They began as enemies...” There was clip of Emma standing in front of the mansion, Regina glaring at her as though she were a clod of dirt stuck to her shoe, followed by one of Emma wielding a chainsaw against a helpless apple tree as Regina came stalking across the yard. There was closeup of the two face to face about 8 inches apart. They froze, eye to eye, the air around them practically alive with energy before the blonde broke it, “You have no idea what I’m capable of!” before stalking away. ___

____

If there was ever a visual for the phrase ‘eye sex’ this was it, Regina mused. Henry paused it again. “We never looked at each other that way...” Regina protested, despite the fact that she knew they had. She recalled the day Emma assaulted her tree and, although right from day one there had been chemistry, that had been the day Regina had realized just how physically drawn she was to the woman she was determined to hate.

“Yeah, OK.” Henry rolled his eyes, a trait her got from her. “I could see it, even though I was a little kid.”

Regina scowled, not liking to remember how long it took the two of them to figure it out, when the whole town seemed to already know. It had made her feel somewhat embarrassed and stupid when their relationship was finally revealed to the general population and not one person had been surprised. Now Regina focussed on something else. “That damn jacket. I was hoping that would be one thing they wouldn’t immortalize on film.” The red jacket had never failed to make Regina roll her eyes whenever it emerged from the hall closet. “I still don’t understand the attraction to that bloody thing.” She could picture it now, hanging inside the closet in the bedroom, and despite herself, a slight smile graced the corner of her lips. 

“I think the main reason Ma wore it so much back then was because it irritated you.” Henry grinned knowingly. His moms were always good at pushing each other’s buttons.

“Indeed,” Regina allowed, knowing that the reason it had annoyed her so much was because Emma looked so damn hot in the bloody thing it drove Regina to distraction. Who knew that red pleather could be such a damn turn on? Regina shook away the memory, turning her attention to the iPad, as Henry started it again.

_“.... but circumstances forced them into unwilling allies.” The two were standing in a mine shaft, Regina shaking as she attempted to hold in the magic force in a glowing ball. It appeared that all was lost as her energy began to wane and the future of the town looked uncertain. “I don’t think I can do this!” she gasped, shaking even more._

__

_“Maybe you can’t, but maybe we can...” Emma’s voice sounded unsure, but her face was determined as she approached the ball and outstretched her hands, laying them beside Regina’s, the shaking orb stabilizing almost immediately. ___

__

__

Regina recalled the way their magic had come together, blending intricately into one solid force. That was the moment that Regina knew there was more to their connection than just the intense physical attraction that pulled them together in an almost irresistible fashion. “Wow, they sure made that look easy,” Regina remarked dryly.

Henry glanced at her, eyebrow raised. “Well, they could hardly drag it out on screen for the seven hours it actually took. Besides, if the actresses were all covered in blood, sweat and snot like you really were they wouldn’t look half as hot as they do.” 

Regina eyed the fourteen year old with a frown. “When did you turn into such a little pervert?”

“Puberty.” Henry started the trailer again, as Regina rolled her eyes again, shaking her head. He was so much like Emma when he was being a smart ass. 

_“Time and their son turned them into unlikely friends...” _Regina focused on the narrators words, eager to see the next snapshot of their lives.__

____

“Is that supposed to be Neverland?” Regina watched as the actresses trampled through what looked more like a tropical rainforest, a leafy branch slipping through ‘Regina’s’ fingers to slap ‘Emma’ in the face. Regina remembered Neverland very clearly and it was much darker, the land covered in thorny underbrush and crawling with insects that still made her want to shiver. “It looks like they’re parading through the back yard at Club Med.” Henry just eyed her sideways, with an indulgent grin. She narrowed her eyes and pinned him with a look. “This thing isn’t being filmed at Disney world or something?” The words dripped from her lips, covered in disdain. She had a particular dislike for Disney, with it’s fractured versions of their stories, sugarcoated and over-run with giddy sweeter than candy princesses and happy endings. 

____

Henry chuckled. “No. It’s filmed in Vancouver.”

____

“Vancouver?” Regina’s brow furrowed slightly as she tried to place the name. 

____

“British Columbia? Canada?” Henry prompted.

____

“Canada,” Regina murmured, her mind whirling through what she knew about Canada, a place she’d never been and likely never would go to. “They have tropical rainforests in Canada? I thought they had snow.”

____

“I think they have weather pretty much like here,” Henry informed her. “This would be filmed on a sound stage probably.” 

____

Regina nodded. “I see. Fake magic. Fake trees. Got it.” Henry hit ‘play’ again.

____

_The two sat by a small campfire, sitting on logs on opposite sides, Regina staring grimly into the flames, while Emma poked at it absently with a stick._

______ _ _

Regina recalled that campfire well. It had centred around one of her lessons to Emma on controlling her magic. Looking back, Regina knew that the moment a tiny flame poofed alive in the little clearing something had come alive within herself as well. Seeing the look of astonishment and pride on Emma’s face had been the catalyst for the darkness in Regina’s heart to begin to recede. The movie was talking about them building a friendship at this point, but, really, it was the beginning of so much more. 

______ _ _

 

______ _ _

_“What if...” Regina spoke hesitantly, not able to finish the sentence._

_______ _ _ _

_Emma put down the stick and moved to sit beside Regina on her log. “We’re going to find him. Henry’s counting on us and we’re not going to let him down. Together we make a powerful team, Regina. We’ve got this.” She slipped an arm around the brunette, who took a deep breath, nodding. ___

____

_______ _ _ _

_“You’re right. We’ve got this!” ___

__

________ _ _ _ _

Regina thought about the real situation, remembering now how the magic lesson had led to misery before her realization of her real feelings, and Emma’s as well. She’d been trying to get Emma to light the fire with her magic, and it was not working. Emma had been distracted and Regina had told her as much, insisting that she focus, even if it meant going a bit dark. Emma had refused, stubborn as usual and Regina had snapped at her, “What a pathetic waste of talent!” 

________ _ _ _ _

Regina slipped back to that time, allowing it to play in her mind.

________ _ _ _ _

“You’re just an evil bitch!” Emma snapped back angrily, and Regina watched a tendril of smoke emerge from the campfire, pointing it out to the blonde. She had been stung by Emma’s words and as she watched Emma’s face slowly display pride at her accomplishment, Regina shook her head and walked away. 

________ _ _ _ _

She stalked into the woods, woods that appeared nothing like on the film. Despite the fact that it was still daytime, the dense canopy of twisted and gnarled trees made it dark, and dismal, matching Regina’s mood. She heard someone, likely Emma, crunching through the bush behind her, and she slipped behind a large tree, leaning against the rough bark, not caring that it bit into her skin, even through her clothes. 

________ _ _ _ _

Her effort to hide was futile. Even though she’d been completely silent, Emma knew exactly where she was. They both seemed to be able to do that. Sense, or feel the other, whenever they were nearby.

________ _ _ _ _

“Regina?” Emma came around the tree, concern etched on her face. “What’s wrong? I did it… just like you wanted?” 

________ _ _ _ _

Regina looked up into the green eyes that were trained on her. “I’m always going to be her to you aren’t I? No matter how much you pretend that you don’t think of me that way, you do.” She heard the hurt in her own voice, hating herself for the weakness. 

________ _ _ _ _

“What?” Emma had sounded genuinely confused. 

________ _ _ _ _

“The Queen. You still think I’m Evil.” Despite willing herself not to, her voice had cracked on the last word, and her eye may have had a tear threatening to fall.

________ _ _ _ _

Emma had heard it too, and her face softened, as did her voice. “Regina…” she waited for Regina to look up, and when she didn’t, Emma placed her hand under Regina’s chin, physically raising it until their eyes connected. “…I don’t believe that. I was just angry. You push my buttons and shit just comes out.”

________ _ _ _ _

Regina shook her head slightly. “No, you let your guard down, and the truth came out.”

________ _ _ _ _

Emma’s response was, “If I let my guard down and the truth came out you’d probably fireball me.” she realized what she said and back pedalled. “ I mean…”

________ _ _ _ _

Regina scowled, her eyes boring into Emma’s. “What truth?” No response from the blonde. “What truth, Emma?”

________ _ _ _ _

“This…” She leaned forward and her lips connected with those of a very surprised Regina. If magic truly behaved the way television portrayed it the entire forest would’ve lit up with fireworks. Regina felt her heart lighten, and she leaned into the kiss, inhaling sharply as Emma’s tongue stroked her lower lip. She pulled back, eyes locking on Emma’s, filled with a mixture of pain and hope. 

________ _ _ _ _

“Regina,” Emma murmured softly, somehow making the name sound like the most wonderful word in the world. “I don’t think you’re evil. I think you’re amazing. I am so proud of what you’ve become… how you’ve changed. How you’ve become someone Henry can be proud of… someone I am proud to call my friend. Someone I could…” 

________ _ _ _ _

“Someone you could what, Emma?” The question emerged from Regina’s lips so softly Emma could barely make it out. Hope tinged the words, something that Regina had never had much of to begin with and had lost all of for many years. 

________ _ _ _ _

Emma reached up her hand, sliding it over Regina’s cheek, threading her fingers into the soft, dark locks of hair. “Someone I could love, Regina.” Her eyes stared straight into Regina’s, showing the brunette nothing but bare honesty.

________ _ _ _ _

Regina let her breath out slowly, subconsciously leaning her face into Emma’s touch. She saw nothing but sincerity in the green orbs, and she trembled, as emotion built in her chest. She swore that she could feel her cold black heart warming under the blondes gaze. Slowly they leaned into each other, drawn by an invisible cord....

________ _ _ _ _

“Girls?” Snow pushed through the brush, and they sprang apart, any further exploration of feelings put on hold.

________ _ _ _ _

The magic of that moment was lost, and the pair had spent the remainder of their time in Neverland eyeing each other surreptitiously while avoiding being alone together. 

________ _ _ _ _

Once back home they’d behaved as though that night had never happened, choosing to behave as friends, even dating Hook and Robin, in effort to forget.

________ _ _ _ _

Regina shook away her memories and turned her attention back to Henry.

________ _ _ _ _

 

________ _ _ _ _

_The screen changed to the celebration party after they’d rescued Henry, and the two women stood on either side of Henry, all smiles and happiness._

_________ _ _ _ _ _

_“....followed by an epic love story...” the narrator trailed off as the screen showed the two, on either side of a door in the mayors office. ___

____

_________ _ _ _ _ _

_“I’m supposed to bring back the happy endings...” Emma was saying. “All of them... including yours.” ___

____

_________ _ _ _ _ _

_Regina reached up from her spot on the floor, flicking the lock open. Emma turned the knob and slowly pushed the door open, slipping through. She closed it behind her, sliding down to sit beside Regina. The brunette raised tear filled eyes in a closeup to the camera. “What if my happy ending doesn’t look how I want it to? What if the person I love doesn’t...” her voice broke, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. ___

____

_________ _ _ _ _ _

____

_“What if she does...” Emma whispered, slowly reaching up, cupping Regina’s cheek and leaning in for a gentle kiss, which was punctuated by movie magic consisting of a increasing glow meant to represent true loves kiss. ___

_____ _

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____ _

Regina chuckled. “Oh, my goodness. This is so corny!” She nudged Henry until he laughed with her, but inside her heart clenched as she relived that moment, which the writers had portrayed almost exactly correct.

_____ _

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____ _

After the kiss they had pulled back and took ragged breaths. “We’re done playing games,” Regina said firmly. “No pretending this didn’t happen.”

_____ _

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____ _

Emma nodded. “No. I want this, Regina. You’re my happy ending, and I don’t want to spend another day waiting for it. I love you, Regina. I love you with all my heart.”

_____ _

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____ _

Regina took her face between her palms and gazed so deep into Emma’s eyes she almost felt as though she were drowning. “Not another minute.” 

_____ _

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____ _

The sultry narrator continued, drawing Regina back to the screen.

_____ _

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____ _

_“Together they battled the worst kind of evil as it invaded their quaint little town...” Flashes of exciting scenes involving ogres, giants and an assortment of other grisly entities took over the screen, interspersed with clips of the fearless duo throwing fireballs at anything that moved and swinging swords like knights. “... until the final battle that will truly test their powers...” A dark swirling vortex hung over the center of town, the women wearing matching looks of horror, as the screen faded to black before it flashed the word “Legends” and the narrator concluded, “coming this fall, from the creators of ‘Lost’ ___

_____ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____ _

Henry closed the laptop and turned to his mother. “What did you think?”

_____ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____ _

Regina pursed her lips and thought a moment. “I think it’s good. I think they’ve portrayed us very well.” She smiled lovingly at her son. It had been Henry who’d jumped all over the idea when the network had approached them. Henry who’d talked everyone into agreeing to the tv series. 

_____ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____ _

He smiled, a touch of sadness in his eyes that stopped the smile from being truly joyful. “I think Ma would’ve loved it.” He lay his head against Regina’s shoulder.

_____ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____ _

Regina lay her head against his, “Yes. Yes, she would have.” A lone tear ran down her cheek as she stared at the headstone in front of the bench.

_____ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____ _

**Emma Swan-Mills**  
1983-2015  
Adored Wife  
Cherished Mother  
Legend ****

___******** _ _ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___******** _ _ _

Emma would’ve absolutely loved it.

___******** _ _ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___******** _ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry... it had to be done.


End file.
